Islamabad, Pakistan – Thousands of Afghan refugees and migrants in Pakistan are making their way to the border as they face a government-imposed deadline to leave the country. Pakistan’s interim interior minister, Sarfaraz Bugti, set an October 31 deadline for all “illegal” refugees and migrants to depart, citing security concerns. The majority of foreigners residing in Pakistan, estimated to be over four million, are Afghan nationals who sought refuge in the aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s. In recent years, an additional 600,000 to 800,000 Afghans migrated to Pakistan after the Taliban regained power in 2021. Pakistani authorities claim that almost 1.7 million of these Afghans are without proper documentation. According to local media reports, almost 100,000 Afghan immigrants have returned to Afghanistan at the Torkham and Chaman border crossings this month.
The Pakistani government denies that the repatriation drive is targeting Afghans exclusively, with Bugti declaring that the majority of undocumented individuals are from Afghanistan. In preparation for the deportations, deportation centers are being established in all four provinces to hold foreign nationals until they are repatriated. Human rights organizations and the United Nations have criticized Pakistan’s decision to evict the refugees. The order to deport the refugees coincides with a surge in armed attacks in Pakistan, which the government blames on groups and nationals based in Afghanistan, allegations that the Afghan Taliban denies. Since January, Pakistan has reported over 300 attacks, primarily in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces that border Afghanistan.
One Afghan refugee, Adeela Akhtar, expressed her uncertainty and fear regarding her future in Pakistan. She explained that she had fled to Pakistan 18 months ago with her two children due to fears for their safety under Taliban rule. Akhtar claims to have applied for a Pakistani visa and sought assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but received no help. Asad Khan, a lawyer based in Islamabad who provides legal aid to Afghan refugees, criticized the government’s actions, stating that they violated the fundamental rights of the refugees. Khan emphasized the challenges that these Afghan refugees would face if forced to return to Afghanistan, including an uncertain security situation, limited economic opportunities, and restricted access to essential services such as healthcare and education.
Human Rights Watch condemned Pakistan’s decision, stating that Afghan asylum seekers without legal status were being coerced through threats, abuse, and detention to return to Afghanistan or face deportation. The organization highlighted the dangers that awaited these individuals in Afghanistan, including threats to their safety and well-being. As the deadline approaches, Afghan refugees in Pakistan are left uncertain and fearful about their future.
In conclusion, thousands of Afghan refugees and migrants in Pakistan are hurrying to the border in response to a government-imposed deadline to leave the country. The Pakistani government cites security concerns as the reason for this deadline. The majority of foreigners in Pakistan are Afghan nationals, and the government claims that almost 1.7 million of them lack proper documentation. Human rights organizations and the United Nations have criticized Pakistan’s decision to evict the refugees. As the deadline looms, Afghan refugees are facing an uncertain and perilous future.
